Less than a week after Rashaad Penny declared when healthy, he remained one of the NFL’s top running backs, the 28-year-old decided to retire.
Carolina Panthers first-year coach Dave Canales broke the news following Tuesday’s training camp practice at the team’s new practice facility behind Bank of America Stadium. Penny joined the Panthers during the offseason partly because of his familiarity with Canales and offensive coordinator Brad Idzik. The trio worked together for five seasons (2018-22) with the Seattle Seahawks.
After being hired by the Panthers, Canales recruited Penny as a power back behind Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders.
“I’ve always believed in myself, knowing my capabilities,” Penny told The Charlotte Observer last week. “I think everybody else knows that when I’m healthy, I’m probably, like, a top running back in the league. I know what I can do. So, I just keep striving from there.”
Fighting through injuries, Penny emerged as an NFL threat, scoring a career-best six touchdowns in 2021, as Canales and Idzik worked their way up the Seahawks’ coaching chain. Following Monday’s practice, Penny approached Canales about his intention to call it quits.
“It was a really cool opportunity for me to see if we could get him to that kind of look,” Canales said. “I know Rashaad at his best. He came up (Monday) and just felt like he wasn’t himself and I had to respect that going forward.
“I don’t understand what that’s like to have a feel, a vision, and wanting your body to do exactly what you tell it to do and it just not responding the right way. I was glad to be a part of this process with him just because I’ve known him for so long and I wish Rashaad the best.”
Injuries limited Penny’s effectiveness. In six seasons, he spent 2023 as an afterthought with the Philadelphia Eagles, Penny compiled 1,951 yards on 348 carries, a 5.6 yards per attempt average.
Replacing Penny on the 90-man roster, wide receiver Tayvion Robinson signed a free-agent deal. An undrafted free agent out of Kentucky, the rookie spent time with the Baltimore Ravens last spring.
@Panthers RB Rashaad Penny announced his @NFL retirement after speaking with coach Dave Canales Monday night … #KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/0VoVbvE1lY
— Jeff Hawkins (@WriterHawkins) July 30, 2024
Panthers Notebook: RB Penny Retires; Padded Players Skirmish
Austin Corbett, Bryce Young Impresses Robert Hunt
After lining up next to Austin Corbett during the offseason program and four training camp practices, new guard Robert Hunt had trouble believing the converted center had yet to take a regular-season snap.
“You couldn’t even tell,” Hunt said. “I’m playing with him, beside him (and) I would think that he was the center all along.
“He does a really good job of communicating, setting everything up, having everybody on the same page. He’s looked good, he’s done good.”
Hunt also mentioned the one thing he’s learning about quarterback Bryce Young.
“That he’s a playmaker,” Hunt said. “He likes to make plays. That’s not a bad thing at all. We love that. He likes to make plays, man. That’s what we need. He’s tough, he can sling the ball, put it in tight windows.”
@Panthers G Robert Hunt is making fast friends with new @NFL teammates … pic.twitter.com/8y48qVEfDE
— Jeff Hawkins (@WriterHawkins) July 30, 2024
Skirmishes Galore
Emotions initially ran amuck when running back Chuba Hubbard challenged outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney following a running play. Offensive tackle Ickey Ekwonu stepped in and broke up the skirmish.
It wasn’t the only one during Tuesday’s Panthers’ first padded practice.
Offensive lineman Cade Mays and linebacker Chandler Wooten revealed heated tempers following a run by Mike Boone, but a group of teammates quickly split them up.
Young didn’t mind seeing the spirit his teammates displayed.
“The pads, obviously, they bring out more intensity,” Young said. “It gets more physical. We wanna clean some stuff up. We’re still family at the end of the day. When we go to the locker room, we’re brothers. But it gets competitive out there.
“Obviously, there were a couple of things that happened on the field, and it’s part of the game. We leave it out here. We don’t want it to happen in the future. But we’re competing.”
@NFL DT Nick Thurman prepares for @Panthers first training camp in full pads Tuesday … #KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/CYZD0mMocl
— Jeff Hawkins (@WriterHawkins) July 30, 2024
Main Photo: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
